Warp beam



Dec. 20, 1949 G. E. UTTER 2,491,941

WAR? BEAM Filed Jan. 22, 1949 INVENTOR.

GUSTAF E. UTTER.

ATTQRNEY.

Patented Dec. 20, 1949 WARP BEAM Gusta! E. Utter, Worcester, Mass., assignor to Crompton & Knowles Loom Works, Worcester, Mass.; a corporation o! Massachusetts Application January 22, 1949, Serial No. 72,239 9 Claims. (Cl. 242 124) This invention relates to improvements in warp beams and it is the general object of the invention to provide a simple form of adjustable warp engaging flange or head which can be rigidly clamped in adjusted position on the barrel of the beam.

The warp threads used in looms are customarily wound on a beam mounted for rotation at the back of the loom. The width of the warp varies with the width of the cloth being woven in the loom and provision is usually made for adjusting the width of the warp space of the beam by means of flanges or heads which can be moved along the beam barrel to diilerent positions. When beams of large diameter are employed there is considerable end pressure tending to cause either slippage or change of position of the ilange heads on the beam barrel as the warp accumulates during the winding operation,

Heretofore attempts have been made to secure the beam head securely to the beam barrel, usually by some means acting radially of the barrel and having little or no effect in moving the head lengthwise of the barrel. It is an important object of the present invention to prov ide a warp head or iiange with means, such as blocks or` the like, which can not only be clamped tightly against the screw threads on the barrel but also eect movement of the screw threads on the head lengthwise of the barrel into tight holding relation with the threads thereon. This effects, as it were, a preloading oi the head so that vit will not slip as the warp is wound on the barrel. The preloading has the eilect oi' moving the headto its extreme position in the direction in which the warp will try to move it prior to the start of the winding operation.

It is a further object of the invention to pivot locking blocks or the like to the warp head at points spaced outwardly from the barrel so as to give additional support to the head beyond that which it derives directly from the barrel. The effect of this supporting can be enhanced by making the blocks oblique with respect to the barrel. l

With these and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter described and set forth. 'l In the 'accompanying drawings, wherein a convenient embodiment of the invention is set forth.

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of a warp beam made according to the present invention,

Fig. 2 1s a .vertical section on line 2 2, Fig. 1,

Fig. 3 is an enlarged vertical section on line 3 3, Fig. 2,

Fig. 4 is an enlarged section on line 4 4, Fig. 3,

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of one of the clamping blocks.

Figs. 6 and 7 are diagrammatic views showing the manner in which the warp head is preloaded, and

Fig. 8 indicates the manner in which the screw threads may be cut on the inner ends of the clamping blocks.

Referring particularly to Fig. 1, the warp beam comprises a barrel i 0 which is preferably a metal tube formed at each end thereof with external screw threads Il. Supporting gudgeons I2 project beyond the ends of the barrel and one end of the latter may be provided with. a friction drum i3 ii.' desired to accommodate a letoff strap or the like when the beam is in a loom.

Screw threaded on the barrel are warp engaging heads H which are adjustable along the screws Il so that-the warp space between the heads may be varied to accommodate warps of different widths. Since these heads H are alike a detailed description will be given of only one of them.

Referring more particularly to Figs. 2 to 5, the head H has a flat web 20 having a smooth surface 2| for engagement with the warp threads. The web 20 is formed integrally with a hub 22 which is connected to the web by several reinforcing ribs. As shown in Fig. 2 three ribs 23 extend from the hub to the outer rim 2i of the web. The hub is provided with internal screw threads 25 which fit the screw threads il on barrel I Il.

In addition to the reinforcing ribs 23 there are other shorter ribs 26 arranged in pairs and leading inwardly from the rim. Each pair of these shorter ribs leads to and is integral with a walled structure designated generally at 21 and including side walls 28 and 29 jointed by a cross on transverse wall 30. These walls define between them a cavity or recess 3| having a door 32. As shown in Fig. 2 three of these recesses and walled structures are set forth, but any other number can be used if desired.

Each wall structure 21 is provided with `a pivot pin 35 which passes through the walls 28 and 29 and across the recess 3| and spaced from oor 32. Pivoted on each pin is a clamping block or bar 36 the inner end of which adjacent to the barrel is provided with screw threads 31 which iit the screw threads II. A draw screw 33 extending generally in direction of the length of the barrel passes through a clear hole 33 in the block and is tapped into a screw threaded hole 40 in the head H which-preferably does not extend to surface 2 I see Fig. 3.

The clamping block 36 may be made either of steel, cast iron, or other suitable metal. If made of cast iron, or the same material of which the head H is made, the screw threads 31 c'an be cut by the same operation by which the screw threads 25 are cut on the hub 22. Prior to this operation a washer 4| or the like will be interposed between the surface 42 of the block andthe floor 32 of the recess 3| to keep the block spaced from the floor. The draw bolt is then inserted through hole 39 and the washer and threaded into tapped hole 40 and then tightened. The inner end of the block is thus held in rigid position with respect to the head H and the same tool 43 which cuts the screw threads 25 will also cut the threads 31, see Fig. 8. After the threads are cut the draw bolt can be removed and the washer taken out of the recess 3|. The draw bolt is then reinserted into the tapped hole 40.

If the blocks are made of some material which will not cut readily in the set-up shown in Fig. 8 they can be prepared by a separate operation.

After the blocks have been assembled on their pins the latter can be held against endwise movement of the walls 28 and 29, as by retaining pins 45. The draw bolts will be left loose enough t permit the screw threads 31 to nd their place on the threads II when the head is threaded onto the barrel. The head will then be moved along the screw I I to the desired position, after which the draw screws will be tightened to cause the blocks to be rmly clamped against the barrel.

In the commercial production of warp beams it is usual experience that the screw threads on the barrel will not have a perfect iit with the screw threads 25 or 31` and there will necessarily be some looseness of t in order to permit easy turning of the head H. When the head is in its desired position the relation of its threads 25 with respect to the threads 31 and the thread may be as shown in Fig. 6. Ii the head were to be left in this position the accumulating thickness of warp threads during the winding operation would exert an end pressure which would move the ilange to the right. Fig.'6. By tightening the draw screws prior to winding, however, the clamping blocks have the eil'ect of moving the head to the right from the position shown in Fig. 6 to that shown in Fig. 7. or in the direction in which the warp will try to move the head on the barrel. When the pressure of the accumulating warp threads is thereafter ererted against the surface 2| the screw threads 25 will not be able to move anv farther to the right because of the preloading of the head resulting from tightening of the draw screws 38. Since the latter engage only a small part of the periphery of the threads II they can be completely seated in the screw threads I I as shown at the right of Fig. '1, thereby establishing a very firm grip on the beam which will resist any endwise motion toward the adjacent end of the barrel.

A significant feature of the invention is shown in Fig. 3 where it will be seen that the block 38 is oblique to or inclined with respect to the barrel I0. The threads 31 of the block lie largely if not entirely to one side of a radius of the barrel u clamping block disposed obliquely with respect toA vpassing through the pivot pin 3l. As a result of this relationship th block has an action somewhat similar to that of a toggle when the draw screw is tightened and exerts considerable force o'n the threads II and also braces those parts of the web 20 adjacent to the pins 35 and spaced from the barrel.

From the foregoing it will be seen that the invention sets forth simple means by which forcesV can be exerted on the head or flange lengthwise of the barrel to preload the head. As shown herein the means for accomplishing this result include clamping blocks which are pivoted on the warp head and are movable by draw screws'fn the direction of the axis o! the barrel to take up slackness between the screw threads I on the beam barrel and screw threads 25 on the hub of the head, see Figs. 6 and 7. Because of the preloading of the head it will not/slip .as warp threads accumulate on the barrel during the winding operation. It will also be seen that the blocks are slightly oblique with respect to the barrel, although this is not an essential 'relation for all uses of the invention. The blocks are pivoted so they movein a plane which preferably passes through the axis of the barrel III, or hub 22. The pivot pins 35 are transverse of the barrel and spaced therefrom to support the web 20 at points located some distance out from the surface of the barrel. Also, because of the fact that there is normally a space between the block 36 and the floor 32 of the pocket 3| it is possible by` the use of a washer, shim, or similar device to hold the blocks firmly to the head so that the screw threads 25 and 31 may be cut in a single operation.

Having thus described the invention it will be seen that changes and modifications of the foregoing speciilc disclosure may be made without de` parting from the spirit and scope of the invention.

What is claimed as new is:

1. In a warp beam having a barrel with external screw threads thereon, a warp head having a hub provided with internal screw threads threaded onto the'screw threads of the barrel, a clamping block pivoted on the warp head and movable angularly relatively to the warp head in the direction of the axis of the hub, screw threads on said block meshing with the screw threads of the barrel, and means interconnecting the block and warp head by which the latter can be moved lengthwise of the barrel to take up slack between the screw threads of the hub and barrel to preload the warp head.

2. In a warp beam having a barrel with external screw threads thereon, a warp head having a warp thread engaging surface on one side thereof and having a hub provided with internal screw threads threaded onto the screw threads of the barrel, a clamping block Vpivoted on the warp head on the other side thereof at a point spaced outwardly from the barrel and movable angularly relatively to the warp head in the direction oi the length of the hub, screwthreads on the blocli engaging the screw threads of the barrel, anc' means interconnecting the block and warp hea by which the latter can be moved along the barrel to take up slack between the screw threads of the hub and barrel to preload the warp head.

3. In a warp beam having a barrel with external screw threads thereon, a warp head having a hub provided with internal screw threads threaded onto the screw threads of the barrel, a

\ and means interconnecting the block and warp the axis or the hub and pivoted on the warp head and movable angularly relatively to the latter in the direction of the axis of the hub, screw threads on said block meshing with the screw threads of the barrel, and means interconnecting the block and warp head by which the latter can be moved along the barrel to take up slack between the screw threadsof the hub and barrel to preload the warp head.

4. In a warp beam having a barrel with external screw threads thereon, a head having a hub provided with internal screw threads threaded onto the screw threads of the barrel, means on the warp head constituting a pivot the axis of which is spaced from and transverse of the hub, Vl5

a clamping block on said pivot having screw threads meshing with the screw threads on the barrel, and m'eansinterconnecting the block and warp head to eiect movementy of the warp head along the barrel while the screw threads of the block are meshed with the screw threads of the barrel.

5. In a warp beam having'a barrel with external screw threads thereon, a warp head having a of the barrel, a pivot pin mounted on the other side of the warp head spaced from said hub, a clamping blockv pivoted at one end thereof on said pin for angular movement relatively to the warp head, said pin being so disposed that the block is movable angularly thereon inthe direction of the length oi the hub, screw threads on the other end of said block engaging the screw threads of the barrel and located partly at least on that side at a radius of the hub passing through the pivot pin opposite to said warp engaging surface, and a draw screw passing through the block and tapped into the warp head and effective when tightened to move the hub in a direction from said warp engaging surface toward the screw threads on the block to take up slack between the screw threads of the hub and the barrel to preload the warp head.

8. Ir a warp beam having a barrel with external screw threads thereon, a warp head having a hub provided with internal screw threads threaded onto the screw threads of the barrel, a walled structure on the warp head having parallel walls warp thread engaging surface on one side thereof between which extends a floor, a pivot pin Supand having also a hub provided with internal screw threads threaded onto the screw threads of the barrel, a pivot pin on the other side of the warp head transverse of the axis of the hub, a clamping block pivoted on said pin and movable thereon angularly relatively to the warp head in the direction of the axis of the hub, said block having an end thereof engaging the barrel and held against movement lengthwise of the barrel,

head by which the latter can be moved toward said end of the block to take up slack between the screw lthreads of the hub and barrel to preloa'd the warp head. i

. 6. In a warp beam having a barrel with external screw threads thereon, a warp head having a warp thread engaging surface on one side thereof and having also a hub provided with internal screw threads threaded onto the screw threads of the barrel, a pair of walls on the other side of thewarp head, a pivot pin supported by said walls n spaced from the hub and extending transverse of the axis thereof, a clamping block pivoted at one end thereof on said pin for angular movement toward and from' the head in a. plane which passes through the axis of the hub, screw threads on the` other lend of the block meshing with the screw threads on the barrel; and a draw screw passing through the block and threaded into the warp head and extending generally in the direction of the length of the hub and effective when tightened to cause movement of the hub toward said other end of the block to ,take up slack between the screw threads of the hub and barrel to preload the warp head. 7. In a warp beam having a barrel with externai screw threads thereon, la warp head having a warp thread ensins surface on one side thereof me 1mm: also s hun provided with mum: y

- screw threads of the barrel, and a draw screw 019 said pivot pin oppositeto said warp engaging sur- 9. In a warp beam having va barrel with external screw threads thereon, a warp head having a warp thread engaging'surface on one side thereof and having also a hub provided with internal screw threads threaded onto the screw threads of the barrel, a walled structure on the warp head including two spaced walls between which a door on the warp head extends, a pivot pin supported by said walls extending transversely of the hub,

a clamping block pivoted on said pin for :angular movement relatively to the warp head in a piane p passing through the axis of the hub, said clamping block being normally spaced from said iiocr. screw threads on said clamping block engaging the passing through said block and iioor and. tapped into said warp head'and enective when tightened to eiect relative movement of the hub and barrel 5' to take up slack between the screw threads of the hub and barrel, said clamping block being oblique with respect to the axis of the hub and having part at least of the screw threads thereof disposed on 'that side of a radius of the hub passing through Yacc.

GUSIAI'l E. No references cited. 

